The Pulse: Reflections, Car Troubles, & Kicking Off Halloween Week
Looking back at this past week, it was heavily rooted in reflection. Comparing where I am right now to this exact time last year gave me a lot of perspective on how I've grown but also a feeling of pause. I was able to put words to the sense of disconnect I was feeling, partly because I'm listening to my body better and partly because I have more space to really ask myself if I like what I'm experiencing, which shed light on how my needs have shifted. When you notice gaps in what you’re experiencing versus what you need to provide for yourself, it’s a cue to pivot - I know more than anyone that this is easier said than done, but acknowledging is the first step, right? I had a couple of rough nights of sleep and some early mornings, but for me, I needed to talk it through and then flush and formalize those thoughts out on paper. I feel slightly more aligned having put words to feelings and maybe even expectations as well, but that is only part of the battle - it's now acting on it.
With October coming to a close, there are only two months left to tackle my bingo card goals and make sure I have a firmer direction and foundation under me before I tackle 2027; this has definitely lit a fire under me. As the days get shorter and my lovely sun time diminishes, it becomes a bit easier to hunker down and get things accomplished.
Week in Review: Curveballs & Court Time
Things weren't without their minor hurdles this week:
The Car Saga: My car decided to throw a curveball and act up— large electrical issues and warnings, but thankfully a relatively easy fix: replacing the battery. I can say this definitely added to those restless nights; you know I spiraled and worried that I was gonna need a new car, haha. Thankfully, the day planner stars aligned and I was able to drop off and pick up my car between school and clients - I also got to meet a new person and have nice conversations with the porter who transported me back and forth from the dealer - it helped ease the worry.
Pickleball Return: While my sleep and gym workouts were a bit lacking this week (I opted to listen to my body and rest on the couch instead of pushing through exhaustion), we managed to get back on the courts for pickleball on Wednesday night. Even the boys noticed how happy it made me—that element has definitely been missing! Not only did I get to play with the boys but got a weekend appearance as well. Two times in one week.
New Orleans Memories: We finally recreated the chicken and sausage gumbo we fell in love with in New Orleans. (Keep an eye out for a video snippet when I post about our Go City story!).
A "Sick" kiddo at home: M ended up staying home with me on Friday; admittedly, the morning was rough as he woke up coughing and had a decent amount of congestion, but he was himself by midday. It was super sweet to come downstairs to find N making M a cup of tea and getting to enjoy some dominoes between clients.
CPR & Solo Recharge: Friday was all about prepping for my CPR recertification, which meant four hours of online training. I treated myself to pizza, a special drink, and catching up on Nobody Wants This to prep for the new season. Perfectly relaxing and productive. Um, was I the only one late to the game and realized that Joanne's mom is also the mom from Hocus Pocus? I think it only clicked for me because the boys watched Hocus Pocus with me last pizza movie night.
The Weekend Grind: Saturday started with working a chilly race event, followed by a bit more pickleball and some downtime. Sunday was my official CPR recertification course, alongside getting meal prep locked in for the week.
What’s on the Menu This Week
We are officially in full Halloween countdown mode, which means fun themed meals alongside high-protein preps to keep my energy steady:
My High-Protein Preps: Clear out the fridge meals for me since this weekend was a bit fuller than I anticipated: my go-to strawberry yogurt granola cups, leftover chicken sausage gumbo, and thankfully I still have some prepped meals in the freezer if I get into a pinch this week.
Family Dinners: Testing out a fun twist on quesabirria using pork instead of steak (since I had a massive pork shoulder in my fridge at 99c/lb at Kroger this week!), plus smoky chicken bowls. The bowls were not my texture friend, so I'll pass on those later this week or modify it for my palate. We'll slide these meals in before our night of pickleball and the community service group I registered the boys for with the Community Center.
Weekend Treats: Special fun foods lined up for Saturday night - we have a friend's party to attend, and then some snacking at another friend's before we hit up trick-or-treating in the hood!
Looking Ahead to the Week
The final stretch of October is jam-packed with the good kind of busy:
Fall Traditions: We’re spending the week painting pumpkins instead of carving them (much less mess!) and finishing up costumes. I've got one I'm super excited about for myself, plus a matching one to wear with N!
The Final Stretch of Fall Sports: Just one more baseball game left on the books, plus a choir concert, and then we are officially wrapping up this season's activities.
Client & Business Flow: Client schedules look great, and I’m making steady headway on my nutrition coaching roots—focusing on lifestyle modifications and behavioral support in my More Than programming.
Making Sense of the Chaos: Weekly Focus
Eat: Continue to get my "me" meals in and maybe work on shifting my eating window up so I can make sure to get in all my fuel.
Move: Hitting my workout and step goals with a bit more intentionality, using rest as fuel when tired, and getting back on the pickleball court again this week.
Make Cents: Pushing forward with client-facing backend work on the website, organizing the "More Than" coaching program, and keeping my eyes on my personal training recertification goals for November.
Life: Embracing my favorite holiday of the year in a new season of life, leaning into the cozy, darker evenings to check off remaining bingo card goals, and enjoying the countdown to Halloween with the boys.
🎧 On the Bike: This Week's Spin Playlist
Here is the spooky, high-energy soundtrack keeping our cadence fast and our climbs strong for the Halloween ride:
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